New York City Parks Mayor Bill De Blasio And Artist Hebru Brantley Unveil New Public Art Installation

New York City NY

19 November, 2021

4:14 AM

Description

Press release from New York City Department of Parks & Recreation: November 15, 2021 Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff joined The Battery Conservancy President and Founder Warrie Price, Council Member Margaret Chin, Community Board 1 Chair Tammy Meltzer, artist Hebru Brantley, and community members on Sunday to unveil Brantley's sculpture, The Great Debate, at The Battery. The artwork is exhibited in partnership with The Battery and NYC Parks' Art in the Parks program. "Art has the power to bring people together in conversation," said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "The Great Debate will do just that. I want to thank Hebru Brantley for bringing New York City his incredible artwork and NYC Parks and The Battery for making this exhibit possible." "We are thrilled that Hebru Brantley has brought his Flyboy series to life at Parks with The Great Debate," said NYC Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff. "Pieces like The Great Debate not only beautify our public spaces but provoke reflection and conversation. We are grateful to Hebru for sharing his vision with us, and there's no better place than The Battery for such engaging, energetic artwork." Hebru Brantley's The Great Debate is part of the artist's Flyboy series, created as an exploration into what a superhero character of color would look like. The 16-foot-tall steel and painted fiberglass artwork will be on display in The Battery through November 13, 2022. "The Battery welcomes The Great Debate with its strength in stature and spirit of empowerment," said Warrie Price, President and Founder of The Battery. "After surviving the past eighteen months we look to Flyboy to energize the millions that pass to speak with renewed hope and to respect the voices of others." "I am very humbled and honored to be presenting my sculpture to the public audience at The Battery in the great city of New York," said artist Hebru Brantley. "The Great Debate is a piece that is personal and important to me - it features Flyboy in a stance that represents confident optimism. My hope is that The Great Debate at The Battery will serve as a consistent reminder to hold your head high, stand firm in what you believe in, and keep pushing forward with confidence." This press release was produced by New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. The views expressed here are the author's own.